94 DISEASES OF CATS 



such as needles or small nails, the animal 

 should be fed on soft or doughy food in order 

 to inclose the foreign body during its passage 

 along the intestine. Thick porridge is of good 

 service here. An emetic of 1-20 to 1-10 grain 

 of apomorphin often proves effectual in ex- 

 pelling blixnt objects. If the emetic is unsuc- 

 cessful, a cathartic should be administered, 



In the case of hat pins, needles, meat skew- 

 ers, or similar articles, it is better to await 

 developments, since in the course of a few days 

 the point will often work out, causing an ab- 

 scess. When this is lanced, the foreign body 

 can be grasped and withdrawn; if a hat pin, 

 the head is cut off with wire cutters and al- 

 lowed to fall back into the stomach; the 

 abscess cavity must be treated antisepticaUy. 

 The patient usually makes a rapid repovery. 

 There is some risk of peritonitis, due to these 

 substances perforating the stomach, but it is 

 remarkable how seldom this occurs. As a rule 

 adhesion takes place between the stomach and 

 the peritoneimi, thus cutting off the peritoneal 

 cavity from infection. Where large sub- 

 stances, such as stones, marbles, or large nails, 

 have been swallowed, and the diagnosis is posi- 

 tive, gastrotomy should be performed without 

 delay. 



The popular dread of powdered glass is 



